20 MARCH 2018

Corner Saves Brave Brook from Golovkin

pic Lawrence Lustig Matchroom Boxing

By Derek Bonnett

The actions of Dominic Ingle at the O2 Arena in London, England should not overshadow those of the two excellent middleweight boxers in the ring on September 10. Gennady Golovkin’s search for his twenty-third straight KO was greatly challenged by a very game effort from IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook. The Special One remained just that even after his corner opted to throw in the towel in round five due to concerns for Brook’s eye.

Golovkin got off to great start, rocking Brook early in the first round with a left hook. The middleweight champion moved his attack to the body in an attempt to keep Brook hurt, but the challenger recovered well. Brooks jab pumped with both force and precision. It was good enough to set up a sizzling overhand right, which marked up Golovkin under the left eye. Brook initiated a center ring slugfest in round two. He continued with the power jabs and good head movement to reduce the champion to swinging, and missing, with wild hooks. Brook wobbled the champion with a mighty uppercut and sent him back to his corner with a bloodied proboscis. Brook hit the canvas early in the third after the two fighters’ legs tangled. It was ruled a slip correctly. Golovkin turned his attention back to the Brit’s torso, landing powerfully with his left. Golovkin’s right hand punches raised swelling around the right eye of the challenger. After three, each fighter had proven himself to the other an taken his pound of flesh. The fourth round saw Triple G pressuring Brook along the ropes while Brook countered with some success. The challenger also returned to using the uppercut. Brooks’ eye worsened under the champion’s pressure though, prompting a lot of attention from the corner in between rounds on what looked like a damaged orbital bone. Golovkin jumped on Brook in round five and kept his back pinned to the ropes. The challenger was able to avoid some leather, but the champion was going for the kill. Ingle waved the towel from the corner, but a few precious seconds passed as he was unrecognized by the referee. Golovkin continued to land prompting the towel to be thrown into the ring.

Brook tasted defeat for the first time. However, there will be those who criticize the corner surrendering for their fighter and there will be those who say the writing was on the wall. Regardless, the welterweight titlist presented a strong case for himself as a viable middleweight contender in providing Golovkin with his sternest test in a long time. Golovkin upped his record to 36-0-0 (33) and defended his WBC and IBF titles. Brook dipped to 36-1-0 (25).